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Britons who want to bring their pets to Northern Ireland or abroad to the EU next year will have to apply for an animal health certificate under the new post-Brexit rules.
However, stricter controls will not be needed following a deal with Brussels, the UK government announced on Wednesday.
Until the end of the Brexit transition period on December 31, the British will continue to be able to bring their cats, dogs and ferrets to EU countries with them, and return to the UK again, if the usual conditions are met.
These include having a pet passport, getting your pet microchipped, and vaccinating your pet against rabies.
However, as of January 1, pet passports will no longer be valid for travel to the EU or Northern Ireland and those traveling with their cats, dogs or ferrets will need to use an animal health certificate instead.
The government says this is the only new requirement for travel to the EU after Brexit with pets or assistance dogs, after the European Commission granted the UK Part 2 status under the pet travel scheme. of the block.
The full requirements for bringing pets to the EU or Northern Ireland for the first time after January 1 are:
- You must have your dog, cat or ferret microchipped
- Vaccinate your dog, cat, or ferret against rabies; your pet must be at least 12 weeks old before it can be vaccinated
- Wait 21 days after primary vaccination before traveling.
- Treat your dog for tapeworm 24-120 hours before arrival, if traveling to a tapeworm-free country
- Visit your veterinarian to obtain an animal health certificate for your pet, no more than 10 days before traveling to the EU.
A veterinarian must sign an animal health certificate after he has been given proof of the pet’s microchip date and vaccination history.
The certificate will be valid for 10 days after the date of issue for entry to the EU or Northern Ireland, subsequent travel within the EU or Northern Ireland for four months after the date of issue, and re-entry to Great Britain for four months after the date of issue.
Pets and assistance dogs will also need to enter the EU through a traveler entry point, which includes all major French ports such as Calais, Caen and Dunkerque.
Had the EU denied listing status to the UK, pet owners could have faced additional requirements, such as needing a pet’s blood sample to be sent to an EU-approved testing laboratory.
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The government said it would continue to pressure the EU to be granted Part 1 status, which would mean that the requirements for pet travel for British people could remain very similar to what they had before December 31.
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said the UK “has one of the most stringent pet control regimes in Europe and currently meets all the requirements for Part 1 status.”
He added that there will be no changes to current health preparations or documents for pets entering Britain from the EU or Northern Ireland from January 1.
Christine Middlemiss, UK Veterinary Director, said: “The EU has granted us Part 2 third country status, which will ensure that travel with your pet continues from 1st January onwards.
“Your vet will be able to advise you on what to do to obtain the correct travel documentation and you can find the latest advice on pet travel on gov.uk or by searching ‘traveling with pets’.”
The government said it was working with the Northern Ireland Executive to agree on an approach to enforce the new requirements that “support pet owners and users of assistance dogs while the government seeks a permanent solution.”
